Construction Built by USN Seabees as an
alternative strip to Nanumea Airfield and Funafuti Airfield and
allowed for further dispersal of aircraft in the Ellice Islands. Two intersecting runways spanning the length of the island were built that formed an "X" shape.

Wartime Usage Operational before November
1943, used during the invasion of Tarawa.
No Japanese attacks were ever made against the strip.